18 NEWS
MILDURA WEEKLY FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015
By ALAN ERSKINE
NOT so many years ago, an ocean
holiday on one of the basic cruise lin-
ers of the day was near the bottom of
the list for Mildura adventurers.
Those days are long gone, with
cruises to some of the world’s most
exotic locations on board billion-dol-
lar mansions-on-water now on the
bucket list for a growing number of
holiday-makers.
And according to Karen Ridge,
owner-operator of Mildura Cruise
and Travel, the trend shows no sign of
slowing, with Mildura laying claim to
the most repeat-business cruise line
passengers in the nation.
Karen has had a love affair with
cruise ships ever since going on a Sea
Princess holiday with her family as a
nine-year-old in 1981....and she’s got
the photographs to prove it.
Her love of travel in general, and
ocean cruising as a first choice, saw
Karen get into the travel business
not long out of school. Since then
she’s sold countless ocean holidays,
been on many herself, and worked
up through the ranks to now hold
the prestigious title of ‘Cruise Master,’
joining an elite group in the Austra-
lian travel industry.
And Karen recently announced
that another cruise expert has joined
the team. Mildura’s Renee Burke is
back home after seven years of sales
and marketing roles with Princess
Cruises, which this year celebrates its
50th anniversary.
Renee joins Mildura Travel and
Cruise as senior sales consultant/
business development manager.
Karen says Renee’s wealth of industry
knowledge and experience assisting
clients with all aspects of their travel
and cruising needs is a bonus for pro-
spective Mildura sea-going holiday-
makers.
Working and living on any of Pa-
cific’s 18 ships visiting six continents,
and based mainly in Europe, the Ca-
ribbean, the Americas or Alaska, Re-
nee’s job was 24/7 as onboard sales
manager, marketing and promoting
cruises and itineraries to ship passen-
gers, as well as acting as host of the
Escapes Travel TV channel.
Before that she was on-board
cruise director, managing around 60
people providing activities and enter-
tainment for passengers. They includ-
ed singers, dancers, special guest en-
tertainers, art auctions, port visits and
shopping trips. She also hosted the
on-board morning TV ‘Wake Show,’
Renee admits she has booked,
met, and witnessed, some of the best
acts out of Asia, Europe, the UK and
USA. She has lived, wined, dined and
shopped all over the world - includ-
ing Scandinavia and Russia, the Nor-
wegian fjords, British Isles, Canary Is-
lands, Mediterranean, USA, Panama
Canal, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Can-
ada and New England, United Arab
Emirates, Iceland, Greenland, Carib-
bean, Asia and much more.
“Sometimes it’s easier to say
where I haven’t been,” Renee said.
“There are 362 ports in the world,
and at last count I had been to 322
of them!”
Both Karen and Renee agree that
life aboard ship is like another world,
“you only have to unpack once,” and
the number and size of the ships
these days means people can cruise
for as little as $100 a day. Unbeliev-
ably, there are 36,000 cruises to
choose from!
Karen says that while people opt-
ed for a NZ or islands cruise not so
many years ago, now it’s all about Eu-
rope, Asia and other far-away destina-
tions. People can choose from boats
that take as few as 200 passengers, or
monsters of the sea such as Cunard’s
sister ships Oasis of the Seas and Al-
lure of the Seas, which can each take
6400 passengers.
The giant ocean liners, costing
around $1.2 billion apiece, have as
many as 2500 staff on each boat.
Passengers have a choice of a cabin
either inside or outside, cabin with a
balcony, or suites, with prices to suit.
There’s a 25-day ‘Fire and Ice’ holi-
day being advertised at the moment
for $6789 per person, to Hawaii and
Alaska, and that includes return air
fares!
• Continued page 19
In the best traditions of ‘The Love Boat,’ more and more Sunraysia people are...
Setting sail on the High Seas
Setting sail on the High Seas
• SHIP AHOY: Tugboats
welcome another giant ocean
liner to the fleet with the
traditional fire hoses, and INSET,
Karen Ridge, right, welcomes
another travel expert, Renee
Burke, to the team.
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